Your twinkle lights won’t be the only bulbs glowing this winter!

There’s nothing like the friendly daffodils and serene tulips peeking out through the soil every spring – it’s a moment we cherish and, to make sure we get to experience every springtime, we always make sure to plant plentiful bulbs in the early fall. But what to do when fall turns to winter? Luckily, there’s still plenty of time to plant indoor bulbs this fall.
“We love amaryllis and paperwhites for indoor container planting,” says Petals co-founder, Jeff Walltisch. “Our premium bulbs are cooled to prepare them for indoor use so they’re ready to go into the soil. Once you plant them, the roots will begin to warm and they will activate.”
Paperwhites, or narcissus paperwhites, are native to the Mediterranean and require little more than to be nestled into a pot together and watered.
“You can use any container you like,” says Jeff. “We just snuggle them down into the soil without completely covering them. They don’t mind being crowded at all, so wriggle as many in as you like.”
“They do want to be snug,” adds Petals co-founder Nique. “That way they can hold each other up and the bulbs won’t tip over.” Alternatively, Nique suggests planting a single paperwhite bulb in a small cup or pot. “This would be such a sweet holiday craft for coworkers or neighbors,” she says. “A paperwhite blossom in a teacup. What could be more lovely?”
To finish this traditional-style planting, simply cover your paperwhite bulbs in a light blanket of decorative moss or gravel, water them, and place the container in a sun-lit area of your house. In just six to eight weeks, they will begin to flower. “Just bear in mind that the cooler they stay, the shorter their stems will be,” says Jeff. But if the stems begin to grow too high and are struggling to stay upright, you can tie them with decorative ribbon and they’ll stand tall.

“This process also works well for amaryllis bulbs,” says Jeff. “However their bulbs are significantly larger, so we typically just plant one in a container.” Petals is proud to stock a variety of amaryllis in lots of gorgeous colors and in both jumbo and standard size. “Jumbo bulbs will yield five to six stalks, whereas a standard size will produce two or three,” says Jeff. Nique has a slightly different approach when it comes to planting her winter bulbs. “I’m not about the dirt,” she says, “so what I do is gather decorative glass jars and containers for a soil-free planting method that takes absolutely no time and yields gorgeous results.” To plant the Nique way you will need a glass container with a flat bottom on which to place your bulbs. “Put a couple inches of clean water on the bottom of your container, and then place your bulb, root-side down, in the water. That’s it. That’s all you have to do!” As the bulbs begin to grow, the glass container will help keep them balanced and you will be able to watch the roots expand and grow.
“Just check every week or so that the bulbs still have enough water to continue growing,” Nique says. “And if the water gets mucky, I just change it out.”
There are so many fun ways to fill your home with flowers, even during the winter, and planted bulbs make delightful gifts for everyone in your life. “My best advice for bulbs is to stop overthinking it,” says Nique. “It’s truly such a simple process that will keep your home in bloom until Spring!”
Still feeling overwhelmed? We get it – we’re overthinkers, too. Come visit the pros at Petals and we’ll help you pick the perfect bulbs for your winter planting and gifting.

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